Jen's Popperie

My sis-in-law, Amy and I recieved sewing machines from my parents for Christmas gifts a few years back. We, along with my cousin, Corinne, had a sewing party a few weekends ago, in hopes of creating some purses for Mother's Day. We picked out a pattern and fabric by Amy Butler. She has some great patterns and fabric designs. I love how her fabric looks a little retro but also fresh and new at the same time. I will try to get a pic of the finished purse on soon.





Here's a closeup of the flowers from the trees. What's cool is the flowers seem to pop right out of the branches before the leaves even do. They remind me a little bit of lilacs, but with a new twist.
The grandmas were also able to celebrate with Brian. Since it was over Mother's Day, we also brought along the Mother's Day presents for everyone. I sewed pajama pants (out of a new Amy Butler book) for all. Just a few adjustments are needed.


A few weeks ago, I co-hosted a baby shower for my cousin, Kari, with her sister, Corinne. They are welcoming little baby Jack in just a few weeks! We are very excited for her! I knit for Jack the Trellis sweater. I had a good time knitting this sweater, and will have to do it again someday when we have one of our own.

So...yes, I have been busy, but busy in the sense of crafting and creating, and not posting! As of now, I have finished 4 pajama bottoms for Mother's Day---from a book by Amy Butler, and 1 purse/handbag that I sewed as my sister-in-law and cousin and I had a sewing party/night. I've been kind of in a sewing-inspired mood. I also co-hosted a baby shower for my cousin Kari...for which I finished the Trellis sweater...for their little boy. I WILL get the photos of all of that stuff up soon, I hope!

This past weekend we were down in Ames to watch my baby brother graduate! It was a great time had by all! I will be better at posting, seriously! Where does the time go?

In honor of my cousin Kimberly's new little girl on the way, I knit up this little dress this week. It is taken from Louisa Harding's Natural Knits for Babies and Moms. I used Lion Brand Cotton Ease. It was a really nice yarn to work with. It took just one week, a couple of long car rides to and from Oklahoma City. Here are a couple of more views. I will have to make another of these...although the smallest size came out a little larger than expected. She'll just have to grow into it. I can't wait to see a pic of it on her! Congrats Kim & Garrett!

It has been baby time lately, and I have been busy with the knitting. Out of Debbie Bliss' Quick baby knits, I knit some baby booties for someone at school who is expecting a little boy quite soon. I used the pattern from her "Sweater and Booties with Picot Edge" (minus the picot edge). I thought it may be a bit too froo froo for a boy. I was also inspired to try to change this pattern later and adapt it to fit into another pattern that I saw on ravelry. We'll see if I can pick it apart. My goal is to be able to create some of my own patterns, but I have to learn to pick apart patterns first, and knit enough so that I know what I need to do in order to achieve the look that I want.

I also knit up and adapted a hat pattern (by adding some seed stitch stripes). Go alliteration go! I've got to get back to taking photos in day light!

And, introducing....

the Noro scarf... it took me just about a year to finish! I started this scarf last year over my spring break. I used Noro's Kujako yarn. (4 skeins)


I started this scarf, and got through the 1st 2 skeins, and then I had to stop because I was out of yarn. This yarn, I bought a few years ago, and just loved the look of it, but didn't have a project for it. Then I found the pattern for the scarf, and had to do it. I think it was the perfect fit to highlight the variegated yarn. I'm really happy with it.

So, the reason for waiting a year to finish...I went back to the original yarn store, and they no longer sold the same yarn...bummer! I actually ended up findingthe exact same dye lot of yarn on the internet, and ordered a couple of skeins on ebay! YAY for EBAY! And, so I would't run out, I ordered 4 skeins, so, now have 2 skeins left...back to where I was. Maybe I'll go in and make a matching hat to the scarf somehow. We'll see.

When I finally picked up the scarf again, I think I had changed the tension in how I knit, because one end is a little wider than the other, but it's probably only noticable to me. I had to rip it out once, because I fought with the tension, but in the end, I decided, who cares, I'll fight it and then I ironed it, and it was fine. Ever have those wars? It's done! YAY!

I have joined the haven for all things crafty, knitty and crochet-like! I have fallen in love with ravlery.com

I put my email on the waiting list about a month ago, and this past week was invited to join. It is the coolest place for anyone who likes to do any knitting or crocheting. You can log all of the projects that you are currently working on, all those you would like to make, enter pictures, keep track of your favorites, the yarn you used, where you got it, all of the books you have in your library, your yarn "stash" all of the knitting needles you have. And, even better yet, you can see what other people are doing, and where they got their patterns. As if I needed more ideas, I now see the possibilities for making more things as endless...but it's good. The only thing I don't like about it is having to repost pictures on Flickr...it's through a yahoo like thing, but I suppose it's easy once you get the hang of it.

Progress on the Eskimo...I have to join the sections together...I may get to some of that tonight, but must block first. I am done with the knitting. Now I'll have to finish my other sleeves for my other jacket:) Then finish my Noro Scarf, and then I can start something new. To many WIP's!

I also love the leaf motif...and am always a fan of the seed stitch border for some reason.

Here is the Christmas Quilt my Grandma E. and I made for my cousin TJ for Christmas. Here we all are. Grandma and I were busy with that and another for Brian.

Also, I tried making a Curly Q scarf for myself in early Jan. It was a basic scarf. I started with 100 stitches cast on and doubled the amount of stitches each row by stitching 1, increasing one each time, until I had 1600 (yes, that sounds like a crazy amount of stitches, but it works). Then I cast off. I used one skein of a moonlight mohair from my stash. I just ran out before the end of the scarf as I was binding off. The only thing I'm not sure about is my scarf is more curly-Q ish on one side than the other. I will probably try another one, but wait a bit until I finish a few more projects.

So, I always have "theme" songs going on during different times in my life...things that remind me of different things I have been through, different people, or places that I have visited. This is fun, just because it's so random...what meaning will I find in the songs I have?! I'm intrigued with this, thanks to my KAL pals Canary and Steph. Thanks for the fun idea!

If your life were a soundtrack, what would the music be?

Here’s how it works:
1. open your library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod)
2. put it on shuffle
3. press play
4. for every section, type the song that’s playing
5. next section — press the next button
6. don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool

opening credits:
"Conversation With Myself"-Jason Mraz
I can just picture myself walking down a city street
somewhere humming this tune...

waking up:
"Love Carrier"--Billy Crockett

first day at school:
"Complicated"-Carolyn Dawn Johnson

falling in love:
"Cowboy Take Me Away"- Dixie Chicks
fitting, I think, good "love song" although
I'm not married to a "cowboy"

breaking up:
"3 AM"- Matchbox 20
pretty good fit

prom:
"Steady On" -Storyhill
Not really a "prom" song, but about moving on...
I guess the end of Sr. year.
If you have never heard of Storyhill, you must
check them out!
They are my ABSOLUTE fav...if you like that
acoustic guitar folk
thing, they are for you!

life’s okay:
"Home" -Daughtry
Also, pretty fitting...where else can you feel okay?
gotta love American Idol...just a few days until it
(the madness) begins...
yes, I'm a junkie!
Can't wait!

mental breakdown:
"Power of Love" (from Back to the Future)- Huey Lewis
I suppose...

driving:
"Out go the Lights"-Lonestar
This, I had never actually listed to before,
but oddly enough,
the beginning lyrics are about driving...
eerie! However, being as I love to sing along,
I would have to pick a different one.

flashback:
"The Marvelous Toy" -Peter, Paul and Mary
Seriously, the randomizer could not have
picked a more perfect song for a
flashback...I think of when I was like 6...
through elementary school.
Randomness is ironic sometimes!

getting back together:
"The Christmas Song" - John Lennon
Perhaps all of the family getting back together
again? Or that tricky world
peace thing?

wedding:
"If We Hold On Together"-Diana Ross
Ok, what an era when this was probably
 an actual first dance for someone at a
wedding.
The lyrics would make sense...
Didn't you just love "The Land Before Time"?

birth of child:
"Self-Esteem" -Offspring
Offspring-ha!

final battle:
"New York, New York" -Ryan Adams
nope- not the traditional song everyone knows.
OK, so I feel like one of
the "Heroes" characters...New York,
the ever present doomed city on that show.

death scene:
"The Touch" -Peter Gabriel
the touch of death?

end credits:
"It Must have Been Love" - Roxette
....but it's over now!

Ha! How fun!Yes, I do have to find random
meaning in all of it...it's too hilarious!

It was actually pretty easy, I knit in the round from the bottom up...and just started decreasing every once in a while once I got to the red stripe above the blue stars. I do really like how it turned out. It's the first thing other than a hat or scarf that I've made that I will actually wear! I think I'm in love with wool! I love how it holds its shape! Can't wait to try something else.

Things I would change: 1. I forgot to start with a size smaller needle on the bottom border.
2. I really wanted to have the neck button up on the side..2-3 wood-like buttons. I tried, but didn't know exactly how to do it, just wanted to get done...and ended up with a simpler neckline, which I do also like. But, if I try it again, I'll do it another way.
3. I would also start from the neck and go down from the top instead of work from bottom up.
4. I may also make it a little shorter in length so that it doesn't go past my elbows.

These are actually the "North Iceland" Mittens from Marcia Lewandowski's Folk Mittens
I used Patons Merino Wool. I LOVE WOOL..the way it knits up, holds its shape, and works on the needles....I will probably branch out and try another brand of wool in more shades and colors, but for now, I'm happy.


These have yet to be given, but are gifts for someone....they are done using scratch art, a technique I have my 5th graders do for their own self-portraits. Its a project they absolutely love...although it is challenging, it is easier than it looks. These are the wonderful boys that I took care of this summer!

So, I've been waiting to start some projects for so long. I have a multitude of things I want to begin, but feel like I shouldn't start anything until I finish my already countless half-way things. But, there are many friends and family members with babies on the way, so I HAVE to start something cute and fun! Darn! ;) Here are some that I am toying with. Seriously, how cute are these?! They are in the inspirations/on-deck list on the side....the Presto Chango, and then the Pea Pod set. I love knitting baby clothes, because they don't have to "fit" just right, as they can grow into them, and they are quick knits! (Usually).

Also, over at "She's Foxy & Crafty", Steph has inspired me to do my first knit along. How nice and warm does this Eskimo look?
Too much to do? I think not...it's all about the multi-tasking! I think I might try out the knit picks yarn. I have yet to order yarn on line, seeing as though I actually like to touch and feel everything in the stores. But, I think it may be a good pick. Has anyone out there ordered from Knit Picks before? Let me know what you think of it...is it reasonable, and good quality? I think I have decided I like to use the natural fibers...wool is great for keeping it's shape. I'm just concerned with itchiness for babies...but don't want to spend $50 on a baby sweater...insane!

This has been my life the past month. It won't be ending until the week before Christmas, as we now have dress rehearsals every night this week, and then it's opening night of Babes in Toyland! It's been fun. I'm the chief accountant, sing, and dance lots, and am enjoying it. I will be excited to have some of my evenings back, and will hopefully be able to get together with some friends again. I know I have fallen off of the face of the earth a little bit. Sorry!
I'm also tying up the ends of many crafty Christmas presents. I'm hoping to get everything done. I've got a million WIPs, and am going to feel so good when some of them are wrapped and under the Christmas tree! We got our first taste of winter this past weekend, with 6 inches of snow! C & I also were up on the housetop the day before, stringing icicle lights...now the lights are lit, and decorations are beginning to be hung...Happy Snowy weather everyone!